Casa Malpaís facts for kids
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Casa Malpaís Archaeological Park and Museum
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The Kiva
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 Location in Arizona
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Springerville, Arizona |
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| Built | 1250 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000936 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | July 19, 1964 |
Casa Malpaís is an amazing ancient site in Arizona, near the town of Springerville. It was once home to the Ancestral Puebloans, a group of Native American people. This special place is so important that it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
Contents
Discovering Casa Malpaís
Casa Malpaís was built around the year 1260. People lived there until about 1400. This means the site was used during the Pueblo III Period and Pueblo IV Period. It is one of the last known sites of the Mogollon culture. The Mogollon were an ancient Native American culture.
The name Casa Malpaís might sound like "House of the Badlands." But it actually refers to the type of rock used to build the site. This rock is called "Malapi," a kind of volcanic rock. The area around Springerville has over 400 volcanoes. This makes it one of the largest volcanic areas in the United States.
Casa Malpaís has many unique features. The most important is the Great Kiva. A kiva is a special room used for ceremonies. This kiva was carefully built from volcanic rock. A steep staircase made of basalt rock leads up a cliff to the top of the mesa.
Both the Hopi and Zuni Native American tribes still see Casa Malpaís as a sacred place. It is a place where their ancestors lived. The site is high up, about 7,000 feet above sea level. The ancient village sits on terraces in front of basalt cliffs. These cliffs were formed by lava from an old volcano.
Around 1240, the people built a village with 60 rooms. They also built a solar calendar and the Great Kiva. It is believed that the site was left empty by 1350.
Over time, many artifacts were found here. These include pieces of pottery and other items. Most of the artifacts found in the 1990s are now on display. You can see them at the Casa Malpaís museum.
The Solar Calendar
This special calendar is a low stone wall. It forms a circle about 26 meters wide. It has five openings, like gates. Part of the wall has been rebuilt. It was likely about 1.2 meters tall.
One opening on the north side points to true north. Another opening is on the southwest side. It lets a special rectangle of light shine through. This happens during sunset on the summer solstice. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year.
During the winter solstice, the shortest day, light also enters this gate. It shines to the middle of the circle. On the equinoxes, when day and night are equal, the sun also creates a clear rectangle of light.
Outside this circular calendar, there is a "Bear Claw" carving in the rock. At sunset on the spring equinox, light shines on this carving. It fits perfectly into a shaft of light from natural rocks. The Hopi and Zuni people have bear clans or societies. They may have created this image for special reasons.
How it Was Found
The first professional anthropologist to visit Casa Malpaís was Frank Cushing. This was in 1883. Cushing lived at Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico. He visited a site near the Little Colorado River. He was very impressed by the "fissure type pueblo" he found. A pueblo is a type of village. He drew how the village was built over cracks in the rock.
Visiting Casa Malpaís
The Casa Malpaís Visitor Center and Museum is in Springerville, Arizona. The museum shows many artifacts found at Casa Malpaís. You can also take guided tours of the ancient site. These tours start at the museum.
Images for kids
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The Kiva
